Duck Dinner!
This is a story from ''Popeye'', the original series published by Dell in 1948. The series was later renamed to Popeye the Sailor as it continued with other publishers. It has also been reprinted in other comic books by other publishers since then. __TOC__ 'Synopsis' The R. O Spring Company is testing their new mechanical duck, but Wimpy can only see the potential of a delicious dinner. 'Plot' The toy makers at the R. O. Spring Company have finished making the most perfect mechanical duck ever. It is completely radio controlled and can walk, run, fly and quack. The designer must make a trial test run, so he sends it walking down to the corner of the street where Wimpy is standing. Next, he makes the duck quack to get Wimpy's attention. The sweet sound of the duck's call is like music to his ears, and he instantly starts looking for the little rascal to invite it home for a duck dinner. When Wimpy bends down to pick up the little bird, the toy inventor demonstrates another feature to his colleague and controls the duck to bite Wimpy on the nose. The colleague notices that Wimpy is very mad after being bitten, and suggests it may be best to end the test and summon the toy. The designer, however, wants to have more fun with Wimpy and controls the toy duck to fly away. Wimpy chases after his dinner, but it is made to fly over his head and out of sight. It then dives straight down to hit Wimpy on the top of the head and knock him to the ground. When Wimpy awakens, he is unaware that the duck is perched on his head, and continues looking for his tasty-looking "friend". The toymaker is truly amused by Wimpy's confusion and begins to laugh. Wimpy notices the two men and heads toward them to ask them if they have seen the bird. Still laughing, the inventor denies seeing a duck. Wimpy walks off, still unaware his prey is still on his head. The toy manufacturer's associate once again suggests this activity has gone on long enough, but is ignored. The duck is ordered to quack again and again, making Wimpy run franticly in circles around the street to find the source. Wimpy finally stops, half exhausted, and sees the duck on his head from a reflection in a gumball dispenser. He quickly grabs it and heads home for a well-deserved meal. This drives the inventor crazy, because it cost ten thousand dollars to build the prototype. They follow Wimpy home and watch through his window as the mechanical bird is cooked in a pot. Despite the duck's value, the toymaker laughs as Wimpy chomps on it, believing it indestructible. When Wimpy comes to the window to throw out the bird, the duck's creator asks how it was. He is shocked when Wimpy tells him it was delicious but very tough to chew. He passes out when he sees his creation eaten and destroyed. Last Updated: / / Category:Comics